KOCHI: Though many people from other districts travelled to Maradu to see the demolition of apartments, Ratheesh R, a native of Pathirappally, Alappuzha, had another wish in his mind. Though he was not a resident of the apartments, he shared a close bond with them. While in Kochi in 2017 and 2018, he used to be a regular visitor to the apartments.
“While working in Cochin Shipyard, I used to work part-time as a Uber driver and in Uber Eats. There were many doctors and lawyers in Holy Faith H20 who used to regularly hire my cab. They were very happy and kind-hearted people. In 2018, I moved to the delivery service and still maintained my relationship with them. So I wanted to see the apartment for one last time,” he said.
Ratheesh, who is set to join merchant navy next week, said that it was painful to see the highrise going down. “I used to see a lot of children playing on the apartment premises. I didn’t even had to sign the register as the security officers knew me well. Many orders were taken after midnight, still, they used to greet me with a big smile.” He visited the H2O debris spot for one last time before he left. He said it was a painful sight. “It was a heaven for many families. The residents shouldn’t have been punished like this for the crime committed by some bureaucrats. This sight will haunt me for a long time,” he said with a heavy heart.